Half-Life
by TouchofPixieDust
Summary: It wasn't a psychotic challenger of Yugi's, or a desperate act from the loss of Atem, nor any one of her friends' many enemies out for revenge that brought Anzu to this place. It was a fatal case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
1. Being in the Wrong Place

Disclaimer: The characters of Yu-Gi-Oh are owned by Kazuki Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Half-Life

Being In the Wrong Place

It wasn't a psychotic challenger of Yugi's, or a desperate act from the loss of Atem, nor any one of her friends' many enemies out for revenge that brought Anzu to this place. It was a fatal case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

As usual, she was walking home from dance class. He knew this because he often watched her as she would hum to herself and nearly dance her way home. He wasn't a stalker or anything, he just liked to watch her.

From afar.

Too far, it seemed. For he could not reach her in time to save her when she was hit by a car turning the corner too fast. The drunken boy had been racing his friends when he lost control of the car and hit her, pinning her lithe body between a brick wall and his vehicle.

He would be found. And he _would_ pay. But not right now. Now he was too busy watching the beeps on the monitor.

His call for an ambulance would be useless, he had known that as he had knelt by her broken body. There had been too much blood. He had kissed her and begged her to live, sobs wracking his body. But she was gone. He was too late. He had managed to fumble his way to punch the buttons and make the call anyhow. The gods must be laughing as he got his wish and was holding her close at last, yet only as she was fading from this world to the next.

He was far too late.

The others would hate him for not calling them to let them know that their precious friend would not live to see the end of the day.

They would hate him even more for what he had planned.

Ryo touched his chest, to the spot where the Millennium Ring rested hidden under his shirt and coat. At that moment, Ryo didn't care if the dark creature inside of him was the Thief King Bakura or the dark god Zorc Necrophades or even the Easter Bunny. The spirit was supposed to be gone, expelled, but there had been moments when Ryo felt... something. He had kept his doubts to himself, not wanting to cause unnecessary alarm in his friends.

The plan had been formed while he was riding with Anzu in the ambulance. When he realized that her crushed body could not possibly survive he began praying, then making deals with creatures he had hoped to never see again. As he watched as her gentle heart began to stutter and fail, he knew he had made a decision.

He could not let Anzu go.

"Bakura... I need your help."

It was time to unleash the Thief King once more. This time Ryo would help him with the theft. All they had to do was steal Anzu's soul

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He liked to think of himself as Bakura. He had grown used to the name.

It was a little startling to hear that name, however, being called into the darkness. Calling him forth. Asking for his help. No one ever called him forth with honorable attentions, so it was again startling when he heard the voice of his once host beg for him to save 'her'.

Bakura chuckled darkly, "Praying to the wrong god, kid."

"Don't go, Anzu!"

Anzu? Wasn't that the name of Atem's woman? Annoyingly cheerful twit, untouched by real darkness. Bored with his confinement, he let Ryo's voice find him, and he held on to the connection. He was given a glimpse into the boy's memories. Pictures of Anzu dancing. Pictures of her playing some dancing game at the arcade. Pictures of her smiling and laughing. Pictures of her tucking her hair behind her ear.

The boy had it bad for her.

Then he saw the pictures of her turning to wave to other girls in her dance class. Pictures of her dancing along the sidewalk. Pictures of a car turning too fast. Pictures of her with broken bones and coated in her own blood. Pictures of her lying on a bed surrounded by doctors and nurses, tubes and machines beeping.

The pictures... didn't seem right. His heart was long dead, yet there was something aching in his chest. He hated the Pharaoh for the destruction of his home and his life. He hated Yugi for his connection to the Pharaoh. He hated the girl's devotion to the destroyer. He hated that she could be so trusting, so caring, so happy in such a dark, ugly world. He hated that she was everything he was not, and could never have or be.

Yet... he didn't hate her.

"Nothing I can do for her."

"You can!" hissed Ryo in a tone Bakura could not recall the polite young man ever using. "And you WILL. You must!"

Bakura shook his head, though there was no way his once host could possibly see. "You need something stolen and I'm your man. But in case you don't remember, idiot, I'm not exactly a healer or a miracle worker. I can't save your friend."

"Yes you can."

Babura's eyes widened. Ryo was intentionally opening himself up, letting his light shine on a path back to his consciousness. He was actually offering Bakura his freedom! Then he became suspicious. Why would he be offering something as precious as freedom? Even the limited freedom of still being trapped in someone else's body. At least he could touch the world once more. It was too big of a gift, especially since he had nothing that could help. It wasn't like he had any sort of knowledge that could knit bones back together or fix crushed organs. There was no possible way for the girl to live. There just wasn't.

He heard the long beep that signaled the end of Anzu Mazaki.

"HURRY!"

In the two years since his absence, his host must have grown a backbone. He would have plenty of time to teach him a lesson now that he was on his way back to the living. And now there was no Atem to keep him from doing as he pleased. Though, without the opportunity of revenge, Bakura wasn't entirely sure how to spend his days. It wasn't the demand that had Bakura springing into action, it was the taste of being out in the world once more.

"Save her," whispered Ryo as he drifted into the back of his mind while Bakura stepped forward.

He probably should have taken off right then, but the bustling in the operating room caught his attention. A doctor called for the time. It seemed wrong that the girl would die alone like that. No friends, no family, no one but a bunch of strangers. Well, and Ryo and now Bakura.

"Shadow Games..."

What? Was Ryo serious? Capture her soul and keep her trapped in the Shadow World? Would that not be a worse fate than letting her soul go to its final destination?

The girl... what would she choose?

He found himself saying the words.

The time of death was announced and her pretty head was covered by a white sheet. The greatest tragedy was that the Pharaoh wasn't around to witness this. It would have devastated him. Losing her would have given him some idea of his own loss. But, being the possessor of Anzu's soul... now wouldn't that just make him scream with rage?

Bakura smiled at the thought and whistled merrily as he walked out of the hospital.

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Author's Note:

This is my first Yu-Gi-Oh story, so please try not to roast me over an open fire too badly. Also, this is not an Anzu hating story soooooo even though I killed her (sorry), this is not an anti-Anzu story.


	2. A Dance With Death

Disclaimer: The characters of Yu-Gi-Oh are owned by Kazuki Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

A Dance With Death

Anzu opened her eyes as the spotlight hit her.

Disoriented she blinked and felt a streak of panic as music began to play. She didn't know the steps! She didn't know the tune! Where was she? An audition maybe? Dance class? Wait... wasn't she just in class?

She looked down, and felt her eyes grow round. Those weren't her shoes! Glancing up her legs had her even more confused. It was a dancing outfit, that was for sure, but not one she owned. And not one her school would probably ever permit the students to ever wear. Not even her bathing suit showed so much skin! Anzu hugged her arms around her body and looked around.

Maybe she had been drugged! It was the only thing that made sense...

She squinted and looked around. But there seemed to only be darkness around.

Wait!

There!

In the back there seemed to be the shadow of a man.

"Hello?"

No response.

"Excuse me? Can you tell me where I am?"

Silence.

"How did I get here?"

Flashes of pain caused her to close her eyes and grab her stomach. She dropped to her knees and cried out. But when she opened her eyes she was back in the spotlight and couldn't remember why she was on the floor. Stretching perhaps?

"Hello?" she called out.

Music started to play again, this time it was more familiar. She stood up, dusting off her familiar pink tights and black leotard. Was that right? That wasn't right... Was it? She looked down, and yes, she was in her everyday practice outfit. Her hair pulled back and held in barrettes when she could almost swear it had been swinging in long tiny braids.

She must be tired. She couldn't even remember the last time she had long hair. Short hair was much easier to keep up with.

Easily she fell into step with the music. She let it flow through her as she glided and flew across the stage. There was nothing in the world quite like dancing. Let Yugi and the boys fight and duel... they would never understand the incredible feeling of flying through the air when you dance! Of letting it move your soul.

Anzu's step faltered.

Blood...

Pain...

Glass...

Bones breaking...

Blue silk toe shoes...

Airy white tulle tutus straight out of a Degas painting...

Anzu looked around and the beautifully decorated stage, turning on blue silken toe shoes. A blue silk ribbon caressing her shoulder.

Opening night?

Which ballet? Swan lake? The Nutcracker? Cinderella? Sleeping Beauty? No... the stage wasn't right for any of them. The stage wasn't right for... well... for any ballet. It was... just a stage. No backgrounds at all. Only curtains for a backdrop. Where were the other dancers?

Anzu turned around, classmates waved to her, uncertainly she waved back.

She crumpled to the floor.

"Why do you insist on remembering?"

"What is going on?"

"I give you your dreams, yet you insist on the nightmare."

Anzu looked down at her hands, they were covered in blood. In her head she knew she should be screaming, but she only felt numb. All of her clothes were covered in blood. And she was missing her shoes.

The man in the shadows stooped down, then came towards her. She recognized his shape before he shared her spotlight. Oddly, she felt no fear.

"What do you know of my dreams, Bakura?"

He dropped her shoes in front of her, and she quickly put them on. She didn't take his offered hand, and stood up on her own. Even though he towered over her, it felt better standing than sitting. For some reason, the blood was gone.

"You always wanted to be a dancer. Not just dancing on those stupid games, but a real dancer. On the stage. Bright lights, center stage, the applause, fame." He clapped for her. The sound a little ominous in the echoing room. "The prima donna."

Anzu laughed, surprising herself considering the rather gory state she found herself in moments earlier, "Prima donna is for opera, not ballet."

He shrugged.

Such a normal gesture, even though it was from someone she always considered her enemy, seemed to ground her. Something was clawing at the back of her head, screaming at her. Pictures. Memories. Some real. Some obviously not real. It would appear that she was in the Shadow Realm, a "guest" of Bakura's. But why was he making her a ballerina and uh… other types of dancers? It wasn't like him to try to use those powers of his to make people happy. To… hide something? To quiet the screams?

"And for your information, I don't need the spotlight or the center stage or the fame... I don't need to be the soloist. I would be happy to be part of the corps de ballet." Bakura raised an eyebrow. Anzu rolled her eyes. "The ballet dancers who are NOT the soloists..."

Anzu grinned at his confusion. She bit her lip and considered him for a moment. He hadn't done anything yet. No threats. No mention of Yugi or any of her other friends. He simply… brought her the shoes she had been missing and asked her a few questions.

On impulse, she performed a quick series of moves, pirouettes, jetes, and her favorite...

"Those all have names... what was that?"

"Ciseaux, pas de."

"Did they know you could fly?"

Anzu giggled and grinned at the compliment. "It does feel like flying." Then the en pointe pose she held melted and her toe shoes became her street shoes once more. "Past tense."

The stage lit up. It was the sky. The clouds were so realistic Anzu could swear she could touch them. The floor... oh... wow, ok... so there was no floor anymore, those were clouds. She let out a squeak and grabbed on to Bakura. Enemy schmenemy. Beats falling to her death.

Oh.

Right.

The screams in her head stopped.

Her head dropped to Bakura's shoulder as the memories flooded her. Sobs wracked her body and she held on tight. She cried and screamed until she felt empty. It was only then that she realized that Bakura had been holding on to her.

Her sorrow quickly turned to acute embarrassment. She was glad Yugi and Atem hadn't been there to see THIS!

"Um… ahem… uh… thanks…?"

Slowly she managed to pry her legs off from around his waist, despite his laughter, which, for once, did not sound evil. Then she managed to pry off her fingers and let her feet touch the... clouds.

"Fly."

"Uh..." The wiped at her eyes and cheeks.

"What? You prefer a night sky?"

Slowly the blue sky turned pink, then purple, then a deep indigo. Stars began to twinkle and shine. It was a darkness that was filled with an amazing light.

"Bakura..."

Music began to play. Her favorite to dance to. Her body began to move, and it no longer mattered if her shoes were ballet shoes since she was in the sky. It didn't matter that her enemy was watching her perform. The music was moving within her, and she had the most beautiful stage in the universe.

So she flew.

And when the music ended, she cried again.

"Ryu," she heard Bakura say as she her heart shattered, "I need your help."

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What had he done? He should never have listened to Ryu. He should have let the girl die. It would have been kinder. She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve the fate in store for her. He had no reason to torture her like this.

Yugi? Sure, with him he could do this for an eternity. But this girl... he thought his heart was long dead. He never hated Ryu more than he did at this moment. Hatred was much easier to deal with.

How long could a person cry?

What he didn't understand was why he wasn't leaving.

Or why he had gone to such lengths to try to and suppress the memories of her death.

Or why he had manipulated the realm to try and give her everything she had ever dreamed of.

Maybe Ryu had been wrong about her dreams. Well, obviously he WAS wrong. She didn't want to be some big shot star ballerina, the woman just loved dancing! Did _any_of her friends actually know anything about her?

Maybe he did it so that if she DIDN'T remember then she wouldn't be laying there bawling her eyes out looking so miserable and would just be dancing and being happy and out of his way.

_The Shadow Realm is a very big place. You did not have to watch her dance. _

Bakura glared. **Ryu?** Was Ryu spying on him? Was that Ryu's voice... or his own? He rubbed his hand over his face.

"Look... Anzu... it's..." _What? It's okay? She's dead. Doomed to spend eternity in the Shadow World with you because you stole her soul. Pretty sure she isn't going to think that everything is 'okay'._ **Ryu? YOU are the one who BEGGED me to steal her soul! Don't you DARE blame this on ME!**

"You begged him to steal my soul?"

Startled, Bakura spun around to see Anzu sitting up looking confused... and angry.

This was going to be fun!

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Author's Note:

Unlike most of my stories, I haven't plotted this one out all the way to its end. Don't worry, I won't let it wander aimlessly around for eternity.

Thank you for your kind reviews. I do appreciate them.


	3. Light in the Darkness

Disclaimer: The characters ofYu-Gi-Oh are owned byKazuki Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

A Light in the Darkness

She was an infection.

Everywhere she went she spread light.

Soon it wouldn't be the Shadow Realm, it would be the Realm of Happiness and freakin' Sunshine. Probably rainbows too.

She HAD to go.

Maybe there was some way to help her soul up to Heaven or wherever souls go. At this point he was even willing to have Ryo ask that obnoxious Yugi for help. But she couldn't stay here. She was... distracting.

Instead of roaming the darkness and trying to lose himself in the shadows, anything to block the memories of his past... or perhaps focusing on his rage at the unfairness of it all... or kindling the fire of his hatred for Atem... now he found himself watching her dance.

Oh sure, for a couple days (probably, it was hard to keep track in the Shadow Realm) she was angry and raged at the world almost as well as he could. He wouldn't have expected a girl like her to know those kinds of words, much less scream them at the top of her lungs.

But then she cried.

And cried.

It was amazing how much one person could cry. If she were still in her body she would probably have run out of tears or cried herself sick. Looks like a perk of no longer being alive was an endless supply of tears. Loud heartbroken sobs, quiet hiccupping cries, screaming cries, wet sniffling cries... He had no idea there were so many types of crying.

Ryo's growing misery was a bonus though.

Then she stopped crying and she started dancing. She actually somehow found that stage he created for her and made it her own.

The first few dances were slow and to depressingly sad music. He wasn't sure how she learned to summon her own orchestra, but she had. She shouldn't have that kind of power. Not just here, but ANYwhere. But especially here. After all, HE was the ruler of this realm. It was HIS whims that created reality here. But somehow...

At first they were just shadows, blobs of shadow, as was everything in this realm until he gave it shape. Somehow those shadows just went to her. He wasn't even sure if she called to them, or if they went on their own. Drawn to her.

Then... then they started taking shape as her dancing became more joyful.

It was like the more she danced the more light and life she created. First it was an orchestra, then dancers and dance partners, scenery and curtains... But no audience. Never an audience. And none of the dancers or musicians had faces. Was it because it was too difficult for her to do? Or... well... too difficult to see. Would she eventually turn them into puppets of her friends? Would she choose to create Yugi to dance with? Or worse... the Pharaoh.

Would she forget they are just her puppets one day? How far down the path of crazy would that take her?

With a thought, Bakura turned her dancing partner into Ryo as a white mage. Startled, Anzu missed her step and nearly fell. One by one he changed her dancers into Yugi the monster tamer, Junouchi the warrior, Hitoro the magic gunman, and that girl... what was her name? He forgot, but he turned her into a gypsy. He changed Anzu's costume into the Magician of Faith.

"Taking a stroll down memory lane?" huffed Anzu as she tugged at her costume.

Then she looked directly at him in the shadows. She had known he was there. Not that the new dancers weren't a big enough clue. But she knew EXACTLY where he was.

He was inexplicably pleased. "You remember!"

Anzu gave him a blank stare. Then she shook her head and laughed. "Just how many times do you think I've been turned into a gaming character and had my soul sucked into the Shadow Realm that it would NOT be a memorable event?" She paused for a moment. "Well... not counting since I died."

He would never admit it, but he was glad that Anzu chose to stay in the Shadow Realm.

Putting his hands in his pockets, Bakura took a breath to say something witty, but instead he said, "What's that smell?"

Anzu squeaked (SQUEAKED!) and jumped back. He watched as she tried to bend her head down to smell under her arms. It was such a surprise that he nearly laughed (HIM! LAUGH!). Instead of telling her that one did not actually sweat in the shadow realm, he watched her blush with embarrassment as she tried to figure out the source of the smell on her person.

Oh yeah, who knew that he would ever learn what the word "fun" meant.

His life had been nothing but starvation and pain and desperately trying to claw his way into survival day after day. His death was filled with nothing but anger and plotting revenge. The Pharaoh's departure meant he had nothing left but impotent anger. And nothingness. A gaping maw of nothingness for the rest of eternity...

"I DO NOT SMELL!?"

He heard the question mark in her screeching. It was tempting to draw out torturing her (THIS was his idea of torturing now? How sad...), but he DID want to find out the source of the smell. Things just did NOT smell in the Shadow Realm. Shadows and souls do not smell. And that is all there is in the realm. Shadows and souls.

"I smell food."

"Oh!" Her cheeks turned pink. Then she grinned. "It's ramen."

"It's what?"

"... ramen... You know... noodles and..."

"I know what ramen IS... I don't know why I smell it."

Anzu shrugged as if creating ramen was even a possibility, which it wasn't. "I wanted a bowl. So I... well... I wanted it enough and it appeared on my table."

"You WANTED it enough?"

"Mmmhm."

"But it smells!"

She frowned at him. "It smells good, thank you very much!"

"But..."

"And it tastes great."

"It WHAT?"

Anzu took hold of his shirt sleeve and started leading him to the back of the stage. She was touching him! On purpose. It didn't occur to him that he let her lead him until she was pushing him into a chair. Before he could summon up a nice blaze of anger, she shoved a bowl of amazing smelling noodles in front of him.

They were still steaming.

He was many things, but he was not a fool. He started eating before the noodles somehow disappeared.

They were delicious!

Not JUST delicious, but possibly the best thing he had ever tasted in his entire life. And afterlife.

Anzu could create food.

For the first time that he could recall… Bakura smiled. A real smile. Was this... what happiness felt like? This warmth inside, was it peace?

She was NEVER going to leave the Shadow Realm. Not if he could help it.

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What had he done? He should never have interfered. He should never have stolen her soul. How could he have done this to her? How could he have been so selfish? Ryo would never forgive himself.

He doomed her to a life in the shadows. Anzu should be in the light. Such a good and pure soul does not belong in the darkness.

Wait...

Wait! It wasn't too late!

Her soul still... well, not lives... but it still exists. Maybe there was still a way to save her, to let her soul ascend into the light at last. She would only need a guide. Since he was still able to talk to Bakura... the connection was still there even after he had been banished and everyone thought HE was dead and gone... Maybe... just maybe...

Yugi.

..and the Pharaoh Atem.

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Author's Note:

I hope you are enjoying the story. I have loosely plotted it, and I promise I will finish it! Thanks for reading!


	4. The Realm of Ghosts and Cookies

Disclaimer: The characters of Yu-Gi-Oh are owned by Kazuki Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

The Realm of Ghosts and Cookies

"Anzu's ALIVE?!"

Ryo sighed and shook his head sadly. "No, Jonouchi ... perhaps I phrased that badly. Anzu did indeed die. I... I was there when it happened."

"I'm confused," Jonouchi ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

Jonouchi and Honda happened to be with Yugi Mutou at his grandfather's when Ryo finally gained the courage to tell him what had happened to their dear friend. Yugi simply stared at Ryo with heart breaking hope in his eyes. Waiting.

Ryo hung his head in shame.

His hope was that Yugi, or even his grandfather, may have some idea on how to guide Anzu to the other side. Perhaps they could contact Yami Atem, the way he was still in contact with Bakura, and maybe he could lead her to the other side. But telling the tale was more difficult than he had anticipated.

Likely that is why it had taken him so many months to seek them out.

"I was there when Anzu... when she passed. I... I..." He looked at his friends and felt sick. He was going to lose everything. Jonouchi, Honda, Yugi, and Anzu had been a tight knit group. Yes he was their friend, but not as close to them as they were to each other. And he had done something unforgivable to their beloved Anzu. They would hate him. Though they could never hate him as much as he hated himself.

"You what?" asked Honda in a sharper tone than Ryo had ever heard him use.

Tears started to run down Ryo's face, but he didn't care. "I was with her when she passed. I could not bear to see her go. I called to him..."

"Who?"

Instead of looking to Jonouchi, Ryo lifted his eyes to Yugi's face. "I called to Bakura. I asked him to take her soul. It is her soul that resides in the Shadow Realm."

Chaos erupted, and Ryo resigned himself to his fate. He stood stoically to await the punishment he knew he deserved.

He only hoped he lived long enough to beg for a favor.

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"Ouch," Anzu grimaced. "That had to hurt."

"Yeah."

"Think we should... I don't know... DO SOMETHING?"

"Nah."

Anzu slapped at Bakura's shoulder. "What do you mean 'Nah'? He's not even fighting back!"

Bakura lazily opened one eye from where he was reclining. Somehow Anzu had created a grassy area in a patch of sunshine for them to sit while watching Ryo. He could ACTUALLY FEEL the warmth of the sunshine. It made him sleepy, too sleepy to make her pay for slapping him. Maybe later.

Sure, he may have been irritated at first that Anzu was somehow able to manipulate the Shadow Realm in ways he could never have imagined... but he wouldn't trade the world she was creating for anything. Well, maybe complete and utter revenge... maybe. One thing was for certain though, there was no way he was helping Ryo try to get rid of her.

The Realm of Happiness and Freakin' Sunshine wasn't so bad after all.

Anzu pulled up her knees and rested her chin on them. "I feel bad for not talking to Ryo. Maybe I was too mean."

Well now, who knew the girl had a sense of humor?

Too mean? She had no idea what 'mean' was. That also used to be irritating, all that cheerfulness and unfailing kindness. Until she brought ramen and cookies into the Shadow Realm. Cookies! How had he lived without them? It was like everything good in the world in a single bite! He would have brooded over being born in the wrong century if Anzu hadn't brought along a picnic basket that included some of those ooey gooey chocolate chip cookies he had started craving.

She looked over at him and he pretended to ignore her again. "How DO you talk to Ryo?"

"Hm?"

"I haven't tried since I've been here. How do you talk to him? I mean, I could if I really wanted to, right?"

"You are NOT apologizing to him for ignoring him."

Anzu blushed and looked away. "Of course not!"

"Right." He debated reminding her that because of Ryo she was stuck in the Shadow Realm with him. Then he decided that maybe it would be best if he didn't make that sound like a bad thing, and decided he'd just pass on the opportunity to cause a little distress. "Besides, you have talked to him. A lot."

She looked at him in confusion as she tucked her hair behind her ear. "No, I haven't."

Bakura laughed. "How else do you think he knows how miserable you are? You think I told him?"

"Well... if you thought it'd torture him you might."

She did have a good point.

"Wait... does this mean he can SEE EVERYTHING I DO?"

A white cloud passed over the picture of Ryo lying on the ground in from of Yugi's place sobbing. He blew at the cloud and it broke apart and disappeared. He would have continued watching Ryo beg for forgiveness if Anzu hadn't started shaking him and talking all hysterical.

"What are you doing? Let go!"

"HE SEES EVERYTHING I DO? HEARS EVERYTHING I SAY?"

Laughter erupted. He hadn't laughed this much in... well... ever quite frankly. Never had a reason to. But since Anzu became trapped here there was laughter and sunshine and delicious food and music... and RYO was planning to take it all away from him to make him live back in a world of shadows... alone.

The laughter stopped.

"He hears some because sometimes when you are upset you are screaming at him. When you think at him it is like you are talking to him. Until you make the connection like that, he can't see you and you can't see him. Once the connection is made you can choose to show yourself or not. Just see it in your own head."

"You make me sound like a ghost."

"Darlin', we're both ghosts. I've just been a ghost longer."

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Darlin? DARLIN? Did Bakura just call her by a pet name?

Was he messing with her? Was this a trick? He didn't seem to notice that he said anything... Should she react? Just ignore it?

Anzu knew she was blushing so she turned her attention back to Ryo. She felt bad for him. Really, the anger just wasn't there anymore. And all things considered, this place wasn't so bad after all. Strangely Bakura made an interesting companion. And Ryo was her friend. She hated seeing her friends fight.

Darlin?

Stop thinking about that! She pinched her leg. Then she pinched it again. It had hurt. Actually HURT! So logically, the next thing to do was to pinch her arm. Hard. Her fingers moved to pinch again when Bakura grabbed her wrist.

"What do you think you are doing?"

Darlin?

Her cheeks heated up and Bakura eyes widened as he dropped her hand like it burned. "It hurt," she told him simply.

"Of course it hurt! You were pinching yourself like a fool!"

"But it HURT!"

"I KNOW!" He turned her arm, possibly looking for bruises, and frowned at her. "What were you thinking? I always thought you were the sane one."

She smiled. "If I were just a ghost it wouldn't hurt. I can feel. Being here... its... its like still being alive. Just in a different place." Without thinking she lifted her hand to his face and felt his cheek with the back of her hand. "I can feel your warmth." She felt her own cheek, "And mine. I don't feel dead here. I don't feel like a ghost..." Her smile faded into a frown as she looked at their friends. "Something's going on."

Ryo was bowing to Yugi and saying thank you as the others glared at him. One word turned her world upside down... again.

"Yami."

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Author's Note:

I hope you are enjoying the story. Thanks for reading and for your reviews!


	5. Battle for a Soul

Disclaimer: The characters of Yu-Gi-Oh are owned by Kazuki Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Battle for a Soul

"Release your hold on this girl's soul."

"This girl?" grumbled the girl in question. "It's Anzu..."

Bakura's lips quirked in amusement, whether at her grumbling words or Atem's audacity, only the thief himself knew.

"I have come to take her with me."

Bakura's amusement died. His words were angry and bitter as he stood even taller. "Have you not taken enough Pharaoh?"

"Look, I really appreciate that you came... I mean, I have no idea HOW you were able to..."

"RELEASE HER!"

"... come into Bakura's shadow realm, but, I can't be saved. I died. In fact..."

"I challenge you for her soul!"

"... okay... I'm getting the feeling that you really aren't listening to me..."

Bakura snorted, "The only voice he cares about is his own."

Anzu covered her giggle.

"Choose your game, thief."

This time it was Anzu who was no longer amused. "Game?"

Bakura shrugged and said nothing. He was evil, not stupid.

"GAME?" The girl sputtered angrily. "You are betting MY IMMORTAL SOUL on a GAME?" The part of the realm that answered solely to Anzu began to flare red.

"I'm pretty sure this is not the first time the Pharaoh has bet someone's soul in a game."

"Hush you!"

He hushed.

"This is not going well at all," came Ryu's voice.

"What?" snapped Anzu. "Were you a part of this, too?"

Bakura chuckled. "It strikes me as funny," he said to Atem with a grin, "That I am the only one here that she is NOT mad at."

"I know not how you managed to control Anzu this time, foul beast, but I will save her soul and see her safely into the light."

"You're being kind of rude. Wait... You can do that?"

Bakura glared at Atem. "Name your game, Pharaoh."

Atem shook his head. "No. Anzu was correct in her scolding's. Such matters should not be left to a simple game. I will take her under my own power."

With that a blade of light seemed to grow from his hands. It was strange. And interesting. But mostly strange. That Bakura pulled his own twin swords of darkness out of thin air was less strange. However, Anzu, who did not have a blade, jumped in front of the two men waving her arms and blocking any further violence.

"You are NOT fighting!" she told them. "We need to talk about this. It is MY life... after life... It is MY decision!"

But soon she was back on her stage. Alone.

"Jerk."

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There was NO way that this spoiled brat was taking Anzu from him! He would not lose.

Really... how COULD he lose? He had grown up fighting just to survive. The Pharaoh knew only comfort. Maybe, just maybe, he was taught a little of the gentlemanly way to fight... but that was nothing compared to the life and death struggles that kept HIM alive.

Still... Anzu would cry again if he actually killed the runt.

He hated it when she cried.

He probably shouldn't have sent her away. Then she couldn't see how he was going to actually be MERCIFUL to the wretch. Maybe she would have even made him some more cookies for doing such a good deed.

"This is your chance to leave, Pharaoh."

"Never! I will not abandon my friend."

"And I," Bakura snarled, "Will not give her up."

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Surely it wasn't her imagination...

No. It was there alright.

A path was glowing in the darkness.

She probably should have been expecting a trap of some sort. But she decided to take it as an apology instead.

"This is your chance to leave, Pharaoh," she heard Bakura say in the darkness. She didn't know how far away they were. The shadow realm was a strange place where rules and logic really did not play a very important part of things. They could be miles away or they could be so close she could hit them with a rock. If there were rocks here.

"Never! I will not abandon my friend."

"And I will not give her up."

Honestly, she tried not to smile. It wasn't often that Bakura showed much emotion. Though in reality he probably didn't want to lose the things she seemed able to bring to his shadow realm, like smells and taste. She should probably feel more insulted that baked goods were most likely what he was trying to keep here, but it was still nice to feel wanted. Like she was important.

Not that her friends had made her feel unimportant back when she was alive. Not... not really. They cared, she knew they did. But how many of her recitals did they show up to? How often had they come to cheer for her?

She shook her head. The time for feeling sorry for herself was over.

Her feet moved quickly along the path, but she kept at a walk. A fast walk. It was too dark to risk running. Even if some sort of shadow creature did not trip her, she was certain to fall blindly running into the darkness. She wasn't ready yet to find out if she could break a bone or twist an ankle here.

All she could do was follow the path.

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Swords clashed!

Bakura remained intentionally on the defensive. He would block the attacks and push Atem's sword back to him, but he did not make a strike of his own.

Of course, it helped a little that his lack of fight simply made the Pharaoh angrier and more frustrated. Who knew that NOT fighting was the way to get under his skin? Smiling seemed to add fuel to that fire, so he tried to smile... a lot.

"Take this serious, thief!"

Ah, there she was.

Bakura could feel Anzu reach the end of the path, so he let the lights fade. It amused him to no end that she was watching the Pharaoh nearly spit with anger and violence while he simply blocked. He knew that the Pharaoh simply wanted to save Anzu from what he perceived was her eternal suffering. He knew that the Pharaoh was trying to be all good and self sacrificing. He KNEW... but it was still too much fun making him look like the bad guy in front of Anzu.

Why didn't he think of this before?

Maybe if he let him get in a swipe maybe that would really set Anzu off on him. Heh.

So involved he was in his daydream, who knew he could even still do that, that the Pharaoh almost DID get in a good swipe.

Sense of humor?

Daydreaming?

Craving cookies?

What has this girl done to him?

"STOP!"

Bakura's twin swords turned to birds and flew off as the Pharaoh's turned into an admittedly cute bunny. The dark and rocky ground turned into a field of grass. And sure enough, flowers started popping up. Cloth drifted from the sky and landed on the ground. Bakura wondered if his face looked as startled as the Pharaoh's.

Anzu took the bunny, pet it, and set it on the ground. Then she sat down and started unloading a picnic basket that appeared out of nowhere.

Only Anzu would stop a potentially bloody battle with a picnic.

"Sit," she said as she pat the ground next to her.

Bakura sat. He wondered what she brought to eat. He was hungry. Hopefully there were some cookies in that basket. Maybe even a slice of cake. He really could go for...

"What is going on?"

"Sit," Anzu repeated, smiling sweetly up at the Pharaoh. Then she added the word "please".

A very confused and suspicious pharaoh sat next to her, trying to keep his body between hers and Bakura's. He was just a visitor, he wouldn't be here long. So Bakura shrugged it off and took a piece of chicken from the plate he was handed and lay back to enjoy watching the clouds.

Clouds in a picture perfect blue sky.

He wasn't letting Anzu go.

She... was his light.

Not like Ryu was the light to his dark. But a real light. She changes him as much as she changes his shadow realm. She brought him taste. Music. Sunlight. She brought to him the impossible and the unimaginable. She brought him...

Blinking in surprise, Bakura looked at her.

... happiness.

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"Atem, I truly appreciate that you came to try to rescue me."

"I will, Anzu, be sure of that."

She cleared her throat and forced a smile to her lips, reminding herself that he really was trying to help. He DID have her best interests at heart. Only, he only had partial information.

"You don't need to rescue me."

"I may have failed you before, but never again," he promised as he took her hands in his.

It was difficult not to roll her eyes. Was he always this ... what was the word she was looking for...?

"Pretentious?" supplied Bakura.

"No. And stop trying to read my mind."

"Pompous."

"Stop it, Bakura."

"Persnickety?"

"Bakura! Stop! And I love that word, it's great. But rude."

She took a deep breath and turned her attention back to her longtime friend. It occurred to her that she missed the part of him that was Yugi.

"I appreciate that you are here to rescue me," she put her finger on his lips to stop him from talking. Bakura glared, but she ignored him. "But the fact is, I don't want you to rescue me."

"This is madness, Anzu!"

"Look, I have been here... actually, I don't know how long I've been here... Time really is hard to judge. Anyhow, I have been given an amazing opportunity. Here I can still see my friends through Ryu's eyes. My family. Ryu was kind enough to offer to start helping them with chores so that I could see them occasionally. He is more active in finding the others and playing card games with them so that I have a chance to see them. I am here in a world that is as perfect as I choose to make it. I can dance as often as I want. I can have picnic lunches on sunny days any time I want!"

Atem shook his head. "These are all illusions, Anzu. They aren't real. Your soul is trapped here. You need to go into the light. You need to move on."

Anzu crossed her arms over her chest and hugged herself. Trying to find something more eloquent to say than 'you can't make me! nyah!'. "They are real enough for me."

"You are a ghost, Anzu." She gasped at his words, but Atem continued. "By remaining you are merely haunting your friends and your family. They need to let you go so that they can heal."

"Shut up!" Bakura barked. "Leave her alone!"

"I am your friend, Anzu. I care for you more than you could know. But, the battle for your soul starts here," he continued. "You must understand how dire the situation is. You cannot continue with this shadow of a life... this ... this half-life. You must continue on. What happens if you wait too long and you are unable to go into the light? What happens if you wait so long your soul is doomed to wander as a restless spirit? This 'life' you have for yourself will end on the day that Ryu is no more, perhaps sooner. The longer you wait, the harder it will be for you to leave. If you wait too long... you may have eternity to regret it."

Tears were streaming down Anzu's face.

"Get him out of here," Bakura demanded of Ryu.

Atem nodded. "I will be back soon, Anzu. Think about what I have said. Think about the final resting place of your soul. Do not be swayed by this farce of a life. It is only pretend. You cannot stay here forever, for there is no forever save for the light." He turned his eyes towards Bakura. "Or eternal darkness."

With that, Atem disappeared.

And for the first time in the shadow realm... it rained.

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Author's Note:

Sorry it has been so long. I broke my wrist and am just now getting to where I can type again thanks to oodles of physical therapy.


	6. Heaven's Light

Disclaimer: The characters of Yu-Gi-Oh are owned by Kazuki Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Heaven's Light

"WHERE IS SHE?!"

"Calm down, Bakura..."

"ARE YOU HIDING HER FROM ME?"

"How could I possi..."

"RYO!"

"No... I am not hiding her."

Bakura shut off the connection to Ryo with a roar. He grabbed his head in pain and sank to his knees. He felt sick.

When that miserable pharaoh left, Anzu just... disappeared.

Gone.

How long had he been searching the shadow realm for her? Days? Months? Years? Hours? She took with her all light, leaving the shadow realm... well... a shadow.

He hated her.

How dare she come into HIS realm and corrupt it with her laughter and light? How dare she bring sunshine and cookies? How DARE she bring him happiness when he had never known such a thing truly existed? And to take that away? It was more cruel than anything the pharaoh had done. How could he be more than a shadow himself now that he...

No...

No no no no...

It wasn't possible.

Bakura hung his head as the truth weighed heavily upon him.

He loved her.

How could such a horrible thing happen? Hadn't life been cruel enough to him?

"Atem comes for her," Ryo told him gently.

Yeah… of course he was. Bakura lifted his head slowly. "Let him come." Then he stood up and brandished a sword of darkness. "He won't leave alive."

There were no footsteps or even a glowing light, but Bakura knew that the pharaoh was coming towards him. He turned to face him and changed his stance to better attack. Atem halted just out of range.

"I am here for Anzu."

Bakura told him just where he could go. Atem narrowed his eyes, but did not respond in kind. In fact, he kept his hands crossed in front of his chest. Relaxed. It only fueled the thief king's fury.

"You will have to kill me first."

"I will do what I have to do to protect Anzu's soul."

"LIES!" He swung his sword, but Atem disappeared and reappeared several feet away. "Fight me, coward!"

Atem glared, uncrossing his arms... then he looked into Bakura's face. "Tell me it is not true. You have feelings for the girl?"

"Shut up!"

The pharaoh chose to ignore the command. "If you care for her at all you will let her come with me. If you care at all you will help me save her eternal soul!"

"No!" But the point of the sword dropped.

"You heard what I said last time I was here. This is the only way. She will become a ghost in truth if she stays here. Or her soul may simply vanish. Anzu does not deserve such a fate! Let her go into the light. Happiness and joy await her there."

"Happiness and joy... they follow her wherever she goes... even into the shadows..."

"That joy will fade if she stays here. Her light will slowly be suffocated... snuffed out. She will become a shadow of who she is. Or was."

Bakura's grip on the sword tightened. Then he dropped it. The sword disappeared before it could touch the ground.

"She is my happiness. My light. My heaven. Please... to take her from me... I..."

"Honestly! You two could ACTUALLY consider letting me have a say in my own future, you know."

Bakura and Atem looked up to see Anzu. Bakura fought the desire to go to her. Then realized that this may be the last time he had a chance to be with her. What good is eternity or ego or pride or even vengeance when you only have a few treasured moments left? So he went to her.

For a moment he stood in front of her, looking down into her dancing eyes. Then he lowered his forehead to hers.

Anything.

He would give anything for her.

He would BE anyone for her.

Just, please... a little more time...

Then he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. He would keep this memory with him for as long as he existed. He could have wept as she put her arms around him rather than push him away. He might have, actually.

The moment she rest her head against his chest he knew.

He was going to let her go.

Love was too cruel.

"Anzu..." His voice was rough. Broken.

Then she stepped out of his arms and turned towards the pharaoh. It hurt. It felt like part of him was dying. Perhaps his heart. Perhaps his own soul.

She took a breath and spoke with her gentle smile.

"I took some time alone to do a lot of thinking since you were last here, Atem."

"That's what you were doing? Thinking? You DISAPPEARED! I COULDN'T FIND YOU ANYWHERE! How did you do that? How could you? It's MY realm!"

She ignored Bakura's ranting and continued talking to Atem. "I thought about everything you said. I've weighed the good and the bad. And I have come to a decision. And I won't be swayed." She gave him a warm smile that made Bakura hate the pharaoh more than ever. She took his hands in hers and a violence Bakura hadn't known before threatened to erupt. He really wanted his sword back.

"I am listening."

"I believe that my soul will find its way into the light... one day."

One day?

"And one day I will meet you again there."

One day?

"But for now I am staying here. I was always told that heaven may be different for different people. Who knows... maybe this is MY heaven."

"When Ryo dies, your soul..."

"My soul will simply find another place to rest. Maybe that is when I will go into the light. I'll follow Ryo's soul if I have to on that day. I am happy here, Atem. I could not be happy any place else. Not now."

Atem was quiet for a moment. Then he leaned forward and kissed Anzu on the forehead. "I will return for you on that day and guide you myself," he promised.

"Pardon me... but I am rather uncomfortable with everyone discussing my death..."

Anzu laughed and apologized to Ryo.

Atem started to walk away, then he turned and glared at Bakura. "If you make her unhappy, I will return for her."

Bakura and Anzu watched as Atem walked away and disappeared. The sky began to lighten into a soft blue and grass began to grow beneath his feet. Then Bakura scratched his head and gave a little laugh.

"Well... since I don't want to ever see HIM again..." he looked away. "I guess I'll just have to make you happy..."

Anzu giggled. "So, I'm your heaven, huh?"

"You heard?"

She grinned at him and sunlight burst from the sky. "Looks like you are my heaven, too."

Bakura laughed, then pulled her into his arms and gently lowered his lips to hers.

"I swear to make you happy," he whispered.

...

...

...

"Hey!" Ryo snapped. "Cut that out! Bakura let go of her. Hey! Stop that! Stop touching her! No kissing! HEY! I'm the one who..."

Then there was silence as Bakura and Anzu closed the connection and concentrated on much more... pleasant things.

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Ryo frowned at being shut out.

He was not terribly comfortable with Bakura being so fond of Anzu either.

Then he smiled.

Anzu was staying.

The end.

Well... the beginning really.

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Author's Note:

I hope you all enjoyed the story. It was fun to write.

Thanks to everyone who left a review, I appreciated it and enjoyed reading them.


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